SpaceXs Starlink touts its high-speed internet as available almost anywhere on Earth. In the real world, its reach extends to countries where Elon Musks satellite-enabled service has no agreement to operate, including territories ruled by repressive regimes. A Bloomberg News investigation identified wide-spanning examples of Starlink kits being traded and activated illegally. How they are smuggled and the sheer availability of Starlink on the black market suggests that its misuse is a systemic global problem, raising questions about the companys control of a system with clear national security dimensions. In Yemen, which is in the throes of a decade-long civil war, a government official conceded that Starlink is in widespread use. Many people are prepared to defy competing warring factions, including Houthi rebels, to secure terminals for business and personal communications, and evade the slow, often censored internet service thats currently available. Or take Sudan, where a year-long civil war has led to accusations of genocide, crimes against humanity and millions of people fleeing their homes. With the regular internet down for months, soldiers of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are among those using the system for their logistics, according to Western diplomats. It is deeply concerning because its unregulated and headed by a private company, Emma Shortis, a senior researcher in international and security affairs at the Australia Institute, an independent think tank in Canberra, said of the Starlink system. Theres no accountability on who has access to it and how its being used. Starlink delivers broadband internet beamed down from a network of roughly 5 500 satellites that SpaceX started deploying in 2019. With some 2.6 million customers already, Starlink has the potential to become a major moneymaker for SpaceX, a company that began as Musks way to fulfil his dream of exploring Mars and has now become the most important private-sector contractor to the US governments space program and a dominant force in national security. Musk, until recently the worlds richest person, has said there will be a cap to how much money SpaceXs launch services business will make, while Starlink could eventually reach revenue of $30 billion (R568 billion) a year. Starlink plans to launch tens of thousands of additional satellites to connect places that are too remote for ground-based broadband or that have been cut off by natural disasters or conflict.But given the security concerns around a private American company controlling internet service, SpaceX first needs to strike agreements with governments in each territory. Where there are none, people are proceeding to use Starlink without the proper coverage that is quite illegal and of course should not be allowed, but its difficult to control and manage, said Manuel Ntumba, an Africa geospatial, governance and risk expert based in New York. In central Asia, where Starlink deals are rare, a government crackdown on illicit terminals in Kazakhstan this year has barely made a dent on its use. All it did was lead to higher prices on the black market, according to a trader who imports the gear and who didnt want to speak publicly for fear of retribution. Prior to the government intervention, customers were able to buy the companys equipment and have it shipped via the local postal service, the trader said. SpaceX didnt respond when asked to comment on a written list of questions submitted on Thursday. If SpaceX obtains knowledge that a Starlink terminal is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorised party, we investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed, the company said in a post on X in February. The growing black market for Starlink has emerged in regions with patchy connectivity, where the allure of high speed, dependable internet in an easy-to-use package is strong for businesses and consumers alike. In many ways, its Starlinks effectiveness as a communications tool that has made it such a sensitive matter. The US military is a customer: The Air Force has been testing terminals in the Arctic, calling them reliable and high-performance. Play VideoThose same properties made it vital to Ukraines military in its defense against invading Russian forces. SpaceX provided the technology to Kyiv in the early days of Russias invasion, and Starlink has since become crucial to the Ukrainian communications infrastructure. The US Department of Defense later struck a deal with Starlink to supply Ukraine with equipment, the terms of which were not made public. Then in February of this year, Ukraine said that Russia was deploying Starlink in its own war efforts, while unverified posts on X, Musks social network, appeared to show Russian soldiers unpacking kits. Two House Democrats wrote a letter to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell pressing her on Ukraines claims. To th
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